Phalaenopsis orchid plant named &#39;Poppy Honey&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Phalaenopsis  plant named ‘Poppy Honey’ particularly characterized by flowers which are yellow/green with some white in the labellum; plants which may be propagated economically and uniformly using tissue culture; plants which produce more than one inflorescence; long and sturdy inflorescences; and relatively short, dark-green foliage.

LATIN NAME OF THE GENUS AND SPECIES OF THE PLANT CLAIMED

Phalaenopsis hybrid

VARIETY DENOMINATION

‘Poppy Honey’

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Phalaenopsis plant, botanically known as Phalaenopsis of the Orchidaceae family, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Poppy Honey’.

Phalaenopsis comprises a genus of about 55 species of herbaceous perennials many of which, or the hybrids thereof, are suitable for cultivation in the home or greenhouse. Phalaenopsis is predominantly epiphytic or rock-dwelling, and is native to tropical Asia, the Malay Archipelago, and Oceania. The species typically has 2-ranked, fleshy, oblong or elliptic leaves affixed to a short central stem (monopodial growth), which vary in size from 5 to 8 inches to over 2 feet. The leaves may be entirely green or mottled with silver grey.

Phalaenopsis orchids, often referred to as ‘Moth Orchids’ in the horticultural trade, are frequently used to furnish cut flowers for the florist trade or sold as flowering potted-plants for home or interiorscape.

Phalaenopsis produces upright or pendent lateral racemes, often with many showy flowers which open in succession beginning with the lowermost. The flowers possess three sepals and three petals; the lateral ones being alike. The lowermost petal, called the labellum, is three-lobed and is often more brightly-colored than the other flower segments. Flower colors include various shades of pink, white, yellow and red-brown.

Phalaenopsis orchids are typically propagated from seeds. Asexual propagation of Phalaenopsis is often done from off-shoots which frequently arise from the lower bracts of the inflorescence. The resulting plants are detached from the mother plant and may be planted in a suitable substrate.

The new Phalaenopsis ‘Poppy Honey’ is a product of a controlled breeding program conducted by the inventor, René Schoone, in Strengweg, Heemskerk, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program was to develop a new Phalaenopsis cultivar particularly characterized by its attractive and unique colored flowers, economical propagation via tissue culture, rapid growth, and a plant dimension suitable for packaging and shipping to the market.

The new Phalaenopsis ‘Poppy Honey’ originated from a cross made by the inventor in 1999 in Strengweg, Heemskerk, The Netherlands. The female or seed parent is the Phalaenopsis cultivar designated ‘Golden Peoker’, unpatented. The male or pollen parent is the Phalaenopsis cultivar designated ‘Taida Salu’, unpatented. The new Phalaenopsis ‘Poppy Honey’ was discovered and selected by the inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in a controlled environment in 2007 in Strengweg, Heemskerk, The Netherlands.

Asexual reproduction of the new Phalaenopsis cultivar by tissue culture was first performed in November, 2007 in Cieweg 13, Heemskerk, The Netherlands, and has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for the new cultivar are firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction. The new cultivar reproduces true to type.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be unique characteristics of ‘Poppy Honey’, which in combination distinguish this Phalaenopsis as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. flowers which are yellow/green with some white in the         labellum;     -   2. plant produces more than one inflorescence;     -   3. plants may be propagated economically and uniformly using         tissue culture;     -   4. inflorescences are long and sturdy; and     -   5. relatively short, dark-green foliage.         In comparison with the parental cultivars of ‘Poppy Honey’, the         female parent ‘Golden Peoker’ has yellow/green flowers with         purple spots and the male parent ‘Taida Salu’ has yellow/green         flowers with purple stripes, whereas the flowers of ‘Poppy         Honey’ are just yellow/green.         Presently, there is no other commercial cultivar to which ‘Poppy         Honey’ can be meaningfully compared.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Phalaenopsis ‘Poppy Honey’ showing the colors as true as is reasonably possible with colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description, which accurately describe the color of ‘Poppy Honey’.

FIG. 1 shows a side view perspective of a typical flowering plant of ‘Poppy Honey’ in a 12 cm pot, at 16 months of age.

FIG. 2 shows a close-up view of the typical buds and flowers of ‘Poppy Honey’.

FIG. 3 shows a close-up view of the typical leaves of ‘Poppy Honey’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new Phalaenopsis cultivar ‘Poppy Honey’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype of the new cultivar may vary with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity, and day length without any change in the genotype of the plant.

The aforementioned photographs, together with the following observations, measurements and values describe plants of ‘Poppy Honey’ as grown in a greenhouse in Strengweg, Heemskerk, The Netherlands, under conditions which closely approximate those generally used in commercial practice. Initially, the ideal temperature to grow plants of ‘Poppy Honey’ is 27° C. during the day and at night. Then, during the flowering phase of ‘Poppy Honey’, the ideal growing temperature is 20-22° C. during the day and 18° C. at night. Light levels for growing ‘Poppy Honey’ are a minimum of 5,000 lux and a maximum of 10,000 lux. A balanced fertilizer with level of 200 ppm N, 87 ppm P, 168 ppm K is applied. Duration of growth of ‘Poppy Honey’ from potting size is between 10 and 14 months.

Color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart (R.H.S.), 2007 edition, except where general colors of ordinary significance are used. Color values were taken under daylight conditions at approximately noon in

Zaandammerweg, Assendelft, The Netherlands. The age of the ‘Poppy Honey’ plants described is 12 months after potting.

-   Classification:     -   -   Botanical.—Phalaenopsis hybrid. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female or seed parent.—Phalaenopsis cultivar designated             ‘Golden Peoker’, unpatented.         -   Male or pollen parent.—Phalaenopsis cultivar designated             ‘Taida Salu’, unpatented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—tissue culture.         -   Rooting habit and description.—Fleshy; approximately 4 mm-7             mm wide and green/gray in color (RHS 191B); freely             branching. It takes 12 weeks for plants growing in tissue             culture to initiate roots. -   Plant:     -   -   Size at maturity.—Height: about 40 to 45 cm Spread: about 32             to 36 cm.         -   Growth habit.—small; dark green leaves and a relatively             normal raceme.         -   Vigor.—moderate.         -   Crop time.—Following asexual propagation, at about 26 weeks             2 leaves appear; at about 30 weeks 3-4 leaves appear; after             a cold treatment of about 4-8 weeks at a temperature of             about 19° C. about 2 peduncles with flowers appear. -   Foliage:     -   -   Quantity per plant.—About 6 to 9 leaves are produced before             flowering.         -   Arrangement and attachment.—half up/horizontal and on two             sides.         -   Overall shape of leaf.—oval, the tip is little pointy and             asymmetric.         -   Texture (upper & underside).—smooth and leathery.         -   Pubescence.—3 to 4 pairs of leaves.         -   Mature leaf length.—about 13 to 21 cm.         -   Mature leaf width.—about 3 to 7 mm.         -   Mature leaf thickness.—about 2 mm.         -   Mature leaf color.—upper side: green (RHS 137A) Under side:             green (RHS 137D).         -   Leaf base.—acute.         -   Margin.—entire.         -   Venation.—Pattern: parallel Color of midvein: upper side:             green (RHS N137A) under side: green (RHS N138A). -   Raceme:     -   -   Quantity per plant.—about 1 to 4.         -   Number of flowers per raceme.—about 5 to 9.         -   Length.—about 34 to 40 cm.         -   Diameter.—about 4 cm.         -   Strength.—strong.         -   Aspect.—upright.         -   Texture.—glabrous and smooth.         -   Color.—green (RHS 138B) which runs into yellow/green (RHS             145A).         -   Internode.—Length: about 35 to 40 mm. -   Inflorescence description: -   Appearance: Upright to slightly pendant, racemose inflorescence with     bilaterally symmetrical flowers that open in succession beginning     with the lowermost flower. -   Buds:     -   -   Height (from base to tip).—about 15 mm.         -   Diameter (at midpoint).—about 15 mm.         -   Shape.—egg-shaped/oval.         -   Color.—main color is yellow/green (RHS 146D) which runs into             yellow/green (RHS 146A). -   Flowering time: For an untreated plant (flowering plant that has not     undergone cold-treatment where the plant grows at a temperature of     18° C. to 19° C. for about 4 to 8 weeks after a period of about 30     weeks at a temperature of 25° C.), 2 racemes appear with about 16 to     20 flower buds and flowers per inflorescence. First flowers can be     expected approximately 4 to 6 months after planting a plant with a     leaf diameter of 3 to 5 cm. Flowers persistent. -   Flowering longevity: On the plant: about 4 to 6 months; lastingness     of cut flowers: has not been observed -   Fragrance: No fragrance -   Flower:     -   -   Rate of opening.—Flowers fully opened about 2 to 3 days             after petal and sepal separation.         -   Orientation at opening.—slanted upward and outward.         -   Shape.—see FIG. 2.         -   Size.—Height: about 40 mm to 55 mm Diameter: about 45 mm to             50 mm Depth of tube: about 3 mm. -   Petals:     -   -   Quantity and arrangement.—six petals that are trimerous,             overlapping and arranged in 2 whorls. Petals are more             pronounced than sepals.         -   Arrangement.—Inner whorl of petals comprises 3 petals, 2             lateral petals and labellum.         -   2 lateral petals.—Overall shape: broadly ovate, little             triangular and weakly cupped Apex: oval Margin: entire and             weakly undulate Base: broadly ovate Length: about 50 mm             Width: about 55 mm Texture: Upper surface: smooth and satiny             Under surface: smooth and satiny Color (when fully opened):             upper side: Main color is yellow/green (RHS 154A/RHS154B)             with at the base some white (RHS NN155C). Under side: Main             color is yellow/green (RHS 150B) with at the base some white             (RHS NN155C). Labellum: Overall shape: 3-lobed with 2             prominent callosities at central junction of the lateral             lobes and base of the midlobe. Lateral lobes of labellum             fold upward about the column; the midlobe extends forward             and is terminated by 2 short filiform appendages at the             apex. Lateral lobes of the labellum are ovate in shape while             the midlobe is triangular with a bump and a rib on it             Margin: entire Apex: oval Length: about 16 mm Width (not             flattened): about 10 mm Texture: Upper and under surface:             smooth and satiny Color (when fully opened): Midlobe: upper             surface: from the chirri white (RHS NN155C) than yellow (RHS             10A). Close to the base grey/red (RHS 180A) with small             grey/red spots (RHS 180A). Under surface: from the chirri             white (RHS N155A), on the sides red/purple (RHS 71D) which             runs into yellow (RHS 5D). Lateral lobes: upper surface:             from base yellow (RHS 5A) with red/purple spots (RHS 71D)             which runs into white (RHS NN155C). Under surface: white             (RHS NN155D). At the edges yellow (RHS 5D). Chirri: about 1             mm (2 small points) color: white (RHS NN155C) Pestle             (Callosities): Length: about 3 mm Width (not flattened):             about 1 to 3 mm Color: yellow (RHS 5A) with grey/purple             spots (RHS 185A). -   Sepals:     -   -   Arrangement.—Outer whorl comprises 3 sepals.         -   Overall shape.—oval, undulate and weakly cupped Margin:             entire and weakly undulate Length: about 29 mm Width: about             20 mm Apex: dorsal: oval with small gap; lateral: oval with             little point Texture: Upper and under surface: smooth and             satiny Color (when fully opened): upper side: Dorsal sepal:             Main color is yellow/green (RHS 150B) with at the base some             white (RHS NN155C). Lateral sepal: main color is             yellow/green (RHS 150B). At the base red/purple edge (RHS             70B) and some white (RHS NN155C). Also some grey/purple             spots at the base (RHS 185D). Under side: Dorsal sepal: main             color is yellow/green (RHS 150B) and in the center haze of             RHS 144B. At the base some white (RHS NN155C). Lateral             sepals: Main color is yellow/green (RHS 150B) at the base             white (RHS NN155C). the vein is green (RHS 138A). -   Reproductive organs: -   Arrangement: The stamens, style and stigmas are fused into a single,     short structure called the column, possessing one terminal anther     with pollen grains united into a pollinia, which are covered by an     anther cap. The stigma is located under the column behind the     pollinia. The ovary is inferior with three carpels present. The     plant has not produced seed. -   Column:     -   -   Length.—about 8 mm.         -   Diameter.—about 5 mm.         -   Color.—white (RHS1 NN155C).         -   Pollinia.—.         -   Quantity.—two.         -   Diameter.—about 1 mm.         -   Color.—yellow/green (RHS 21A). -   Ovary:     -   -   Length.—about 3 mm.         -   Diameter.—about 2 mm.         -   Color.—RHS NN155C. -   Pedicel:     -   -   Length.—about 28 mm.         -   Diameter.—about 3 mm.         -   Texture.—glabrous and smooth.         -   Color.—close to the flower white (RHS NN155C), in the middle             yellow/green (RHS 150B) and then yellow/green (RHS 146B). -   Disease/pest resistance/susceptibility: No specific resistance or     susceptibility observed -   Temperature tolerance: Tolerant to a low temperature of about 15° C.     and to a high temperature about 30° C. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct Phalaenopsis plant named ‘Poppy Honey’, as illustrated and described herein. 